Top five moments in 2016-17 Rams’ athletics

#5 – Men’s Basketball: Travis Voight receives third UMAC award

Rams’ point guard Travis Voight, a junior, was named Honorable Mention UMAC All-Conference. Voight averaged 16.6 points per game, good enough for the team lead and fourth in the conference. He also led the team in three point shooting and assists, making 38.3 percent of his shots from deep while averaging 2.7 assists per game.

This was Voight’s third consecutive UMAC honorable mention award.

#4 – Track and Field: Grahm Johnson sets shot put record

Freshman Grahm Johnson, a Minnesota discus state champion in high school, broke the North Central shot put record at the Gene Glader Invite, but extended it at the UMAC Indoor Championships with a 14.63 meter throw. Johnson finished third at the championships,

Johnson told the Northerner in April that it “feels great to have broken the school records.”

#3 – Volleyball: Elissa Phenegar breaks career assists record

In Sept. 17 game against Bethany Lutheran, Phenegar, a senior, recorded her 2,474th assist. The previous record belonged to Jen Meyerson, who played from 2004-2006. Phenegar and Meyerson are the only two players in Rams’ history to record over 2,000 assists.

“Elissa is an amazing volleyball player,” co-captain Ashley Kelzer told the Northerner in September. “She is one of the most hardworking teammates I have ever played with. I am so proud of her and her accomplishments.”

Phenegar would finish her career with 2,914 assists. She was also named an All-Conference Honorable Mention by UMAC coaches for the second time in her career. Earlier this month, Phenegar was given the UMAC All-Academic Leadership Award, which is only given to two recipients, one female and one male, every year.

Despite a 6-19 season, the Rams did have two bright spots: junior Lizzy Swanson and freshman Annabel Morrisroe. Both women were named the NCCAA’s All-Region first team.

Morrisroe averaged 15.5 points per game. “Annabel has been a great asset for our team this season,” Swanson said. “She brings energy and encouragement to the team, has great character and brings passion every time she steps on the court.”

Swanson averaged 19.6 points per game, leading the UMAC and putting her on pace to break North Central’s scoring record set by Jamie High in 2016 . She was named a member of the UMAC Honorable Mention All-Conference team. Swanson was also named Third Team All-American.

In a February interview with the Northerner, Swanson emphasized the role of her teammates in her success. “If it was not for all the hard work that they put in everyday I would not be anywhere near to where I am today,” she said.

#1 – Men’s Soccer advances to NCCAA National Final

Rams’ soccer had an unprecedented level of success in the 2016 season, finishing with a 15-7-1 record and advancing all the way to the NCCAA national championship game, where they lost to Bob Jones University.

“We are thrilled to be able to represent North Central at the national tournament,” Tyler Maag, a senior captain, told the Northerner in November. “It is a great honor.”

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NCAA Division III athletics provides the opportunity for many to continue their sports endeavors after high school. No other division among the NCAA has more athletes, with more than 190,000 student-athletes spread across 450 colleges and universities throughout the country according to the NCAA’s website.